Apparatus for cutting strip material



A ril 11, 1950 A. J. BOTI'OS APPARATUS FOR CUTTING STRIP MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 10, 1949 Him/v05? 1. 507705, AM k? 3641517 1,

April 11, 1950 A. J. BOTI'OS APPARATUS FOR cu'r'rmc STRIP MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 10, 194:5;

- Inventor 4 fXfl/Vflff 1 507705,

.--- I I 1 I I April 11, 1950 A. J. Bones 2,503,994

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING STRIP MATERIAL Filed June 10, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIEJZI- l iii 5: M 42 Ma iafaii i ii? i :ii i 2; i E if {3 2 hweiztm': 14L awn/009 J. 507705,

Patented Apr. 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT osrlcs APPARATUS FOR CUTTING STRIP I MATERIAL Alexander J. Bottos, Gary, Ind.

Application June 10, 1949, Serial No. 98,373

2 Claims. (Cl. 16456-) This invention relates to a cutting machine and more particularly to a machine for cutting strip material to length.

In the manufacture of cut length strip material it is customary to process the material in coil form. The coiled strip is cut into lengths as a final processing step.- The coils are made up of a continuous length of the strip and are of a size convenient for handling. In many cases, such as where the strip is to be used for banding, the strip is delivered to the consumer in coil form. The consumer then cuts the strip various lengths suitable for his purposes.

Prior to my invention, when it was desired to cut the coiled strip into straight lengths, the coil was placed on a reel and fed manually into a power shear which was operated by a workman. When lengths of strip were cut to be used for banding material, frequently, the cutting was done with a pair of hand shears or similar tool.

Some attempts have been made to provide cutting machines which are semi-automatic in opv eration but none of these have proved entirely satisfactory.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to provide a strip cutting machine which is fully automatic in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a strip cutting machine which can be started, maintained in operation and stopped by means of the strip being cut.

A further object of my invention is to provide a strip cutting machine which is rugged in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and operate, and which can be easily adjusted to cut strip material to any desired length.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 isa plan view of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in longitudinal section;

Figure 3 is a view taken on the line IIIIII of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a view taken on the line VV of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2 indicates a table or platform having mounted thereon a roll stand 4, an air motor 6, and a cutting shear 8. The roll stand 4 constitutes the entrance end of the machine. A pair of pinch rolls l0 and I2, housed within the roll stand, functions to feed the strip 2 S into the machine. The air motor 8, which drives the bottom pinch roll I2, is connected to the roll shaft by means of a coupling H. A yoke I6 is slidably mounted on the stand 4. Upper pinch roll Ill is rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft l8. Shaft I8 is in the form of a bolt having a bolt head 20 at one end and a threaded portion 22 at its other end. Shaft I8 is fixedly mounted in yoke [8 by means of lock nuts 24 which are threaded onto portion 22. Shaft 13 passes through slotted holes 28 in the sides of the roll stand 4. These slotted holes permit vertical adjustment of the pinch roll H) in relation to driven pinch roll l2. A bolt 28 extends upwardly through the top transverse portion of roll stand 4 and through the corresponding part of slide yoke IS. A helical compression spring 30 is mounted around the protruding shaft por-= tion of bolt 28 and bears against the top surface of yoke i6 at its one end and against a washer 32 at its other end. A pair of lock nuts 34a, threaded around the outer end of bolt 28 adjacent washer 32, is adjusted to vary the compression of spring 38. Thus, yoke Hi can be slidably adjusted to bring about the desired pressure on strip S between the rolls Ill and I2 and thereby provide the necessary amount of traction to feed the strip into the machine.

Shear 8 is mounted on table 2 with its jaws positioned at right angles to the direction of travel of strip S. Shear 8 comprises a stationary lower jaw knife member 34 having an opening 38 therein, and a movable jaw knife member 38. Movable shear jaw 38 pivots on a fulcrum pin 48 and is pivotally connected at its rear end to a piston rod 42 which projects from an air cylinder 44 vertically mounted adjacent table 2. Strip guides 46 and 48 are interposed between the exit end of roll stand 4 and the jaws of shear 8 to guide the strip into the shear.

A longitudinal catcher box 50 extends normal to the jaws of shear 8 in a straight line opposite the roll stand 4. Catcher box 50 is composed of two angle members 56 and 58. Angle 56 is sta tionary while angle 58 is movable, being adapted to swing about hinges 80. Angle member 56 is supported at its one end by a support 52 affixed to table 2 and at its other end by a vertical support post 54 which projects upwardly from the floor. The swinging angle member 58 forms a dumping cradle which is held closed by a lever 62 and a counterweight 64. The lever 62 forms a handle which is pulled to dump the cradle. At least two spaced apart dumping guide fingers 65 are attached to the side of-angle member 58 3 and project downwardly therefrom to deflect and guide the out strips downwardly when the catcher box is emptied.

As seen in Figure 2, a header 66 having an air supply line 68 connected thereto is mounted on the upper portion of the supporting post 54. Two air lines I and I2 extend from fittings in the header S6. Three-way valves 4 and II; are provided in lines I0 and I2, respectively. Air line "I0 extends directly to an air port I8 in the lower end of cylinder 44. Air line I2 extends to a manually operable valve 80. Beyond valve 80 the line I2 branche into two lines 82 and 84. Line 82 is connected to an air port 86 in the upper end of cylinder 44. Line 84 is connected to the air motor 6 which drives the pinch roll I2. The valve 80 is included in line I2 to provide manual means for shutting of! motor 6 when desired; however, the valve will normally remain open since the operation of motor 6 is automatically controlled as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

A bracket 88 is mounted on the supporting post 54 intermediate the valves i4 and IS. A fulcrum pin 99 projects through the bracket. A bifurcated lever bar 54 is pivotally mounted on the fulcrum pin 90. The lower end of the lever bar extends downwardly to the outer open end of the catcher box 50. An adjustable connecting rod ,96 is pivotally connected at one end to lever bar 94 by means of a bolt 98. The other end of the rod as is attached to a stop member I00 which is slidingly positioned within catcher box 50 suspended on a slide rod I02. Stop member I00 is suspended so that it will not drop out when the dumping angle member 58 is swung downwardly other end of rod I02 passes through an opening in the top of angle member 56 at a steep angle as seen in Figure 2. This arrangement is necessary to insure that the strip S entering the catcher box 50 will be deflected downwardly and will travel in a straight line to the face of the stop I00. The face of stop I00 is covered with a material in the nature of composition, leather or rubber to prevent the end of the strip from sliding upwardly and out of the machine.

It will be noted that the stop member I00 may be positioned at any point along the length of the catcher box 50 by adjusting the length of the connecting rod 05. Thus, the machine may be adjusted to out strip material to any length desired. Although I have shown rod 96 as being telescopic in construction, it will be obvious that the rod may be constructed in any manner as long as its length may be adjusted.

The lever bar 04 is operably connected to valves I4 and I6. The lever bar 84 is pivotally connected at its upper end to a rod I I2 by means of a pin IIO which extends through the upper end of the lever bar. The shaft of rod II2 passes through an opening in the upper end of support post 54. A helical compression spring HE is mounted around the protruding shaft portion of rod II2 with its one end bearing against support post 54 and its other end bearing against a washer IIB. A pair of lock nuts I20, threaded around the outer end of rod I I2 adjacent washer asoaecs I I8, is adjusted to vary the compression of spring II 6. An adjustable stop I22 is aihxed to the top of the outer end of the catcher box 50 to limit the forward movement of lever bar 94. A strike plate I23 is provided on the lower portion of the lever bar for engaging the stop I22. A similar stop I24 is mounted on the support 54 to limit movement of the lever bar in the opposite direction by engaging a strike plate I25 which is mounted on the lower portion of lever bar 94 opposite the strike plate I23.

In operation, the length of connecting rod 96 is first adjusted to properly position stop member I00 in accordance with the length of strip to be cut. The lever bar 04 is held in normal position by compression spring H6. In this position, valve 14 is closed and valve I6 is open so that pressure air is delivered through air line 12 to valve 80 and from there, through line 82, to the upper air port 86 of cylinder 44. This forces piston rod 42 downwardly to hold the shear 8 open. At the same time, pressure air flows through air line 84 to operate motor 6 to drive the pinch roll I2. Strip S, which is coiled on a conventional reel (not shown) adjacent table 2, is started through the machine by threading its end between rolls l0 and I2. Spring is adjusted by means of nuts 34a to provide traction between the two rolls and the strip is further fed through the jaws of the open shear 8 and into the catcher box 50. When the end of the strip contacts the face of stop I00, it causes the stop member I00, through the connecting rod 96, to push the lever bar 94 against the adjusted stop I24. With lever bar 94 in this position the valve I6 is closed, thus simultaneously relieving the pressure in the top of the cylinder 44 and stopping the air motor 6. When valve I6 is thus closed, valve 14 is opened. This allows pressure air to travel through line I0 to the air port I8 in the lower end of cylinder 44. This pushe piston rod 42 upward to actuate the cutting stroke of the jaw 38 of shear 8.

When the shear jaw 38 cuts the strip 5, it

pushes the end of the cut length downward past the face of shear jaw 34 and guides it into the open space or window 36. Then the compression of spring IIIi pulls the lever bar 94 back to its normal position against stop I22. When this happens the lever bar 94, through stop I 00, pushes the last out strip length through the window 36. This aligns the front end of all the strips touching the stop member I00.

It is necessary to empty the catcher box at intervals during operations and this is done by pulling lever 62 forward so as to dump the cradle formed by angle member 58 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. Guide fingers 65 will then deflect and guide the out lengths to a receptacle placed under the catcher box.

After the machine has been threaded and started it will be automatically operated by the impact of the strip end against stop member I00 in the manner described above. The machine will continue to operate automatically until all of the strip has been cut or until valve is manually turned to shut off the supply of pressure air to the air motor 6.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for cutting strip material to including a roll stand, a pair of pinch rolls rotatabiy mounted in said roll stand, and means for driving at least one of said pinch rolls, a shear member mounted adjacent the exit end of said roll stand, said shear member having one movable jaw, a vertical fluid pressure cylinder having a piston rod projecting therefrom mounted adjacent said platform beneath the rear end of said movable shear jaw, said movable shear jaw ,being pivotally connected to said piston rod, a vertical supporting post spaced from said platform, a longitudinal open-end catcher box extending from said platform to said vertical supporting post, a stop member reciprocably mounted in said catcher box, a vertical lever arm pivotally connected to said vertical supporting post, an

adjustable connecting rod attached to said stop-- member at its one end and to said lever arm at its other end, compression spring means mounted on the upper portion of said vertical supporting post, said spring means being pivotally connected to the said lever arm for urging the upper end thereof toward the supporting post, a header member having a fluid pressure supply line attached thereto mounted on said vertical supporting post, a fluid pressure line extending from said header to said vertical cylinder, a valve in said line, a fluid pressure line extending from said header to a T connection, a valve in said last named line, said valves being operably connected to said lever arm, a fluid pressure line extending from one branch of said T connection to said pinch roll driving means, and a fluid pressure line extending from the other branch of said T connection to said vertical cylinder, said lever arm being rocked on its pivot by said connecting rod when the stop member is struck by the end of the strip material entering the catcher box, the movement of said lever arm operating said valves to alternately actuate said pinch roll driving means and the movable jaw of said shear member.

2. Apparatus for cutting strip material to length comprising a platform having a roll stand mounted thereon, said roll stand having slotted openings in the sides thereof, a rotatable shaft I mounted in the lower portion of said roll stand,

a pinch roll mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith, means mounted on the platform for rotating said shaft, said means including a fluid pressure motor, and a coupling for connecting said motor to said shaft, a yoke member slidingly fltted over the upper portion of said roll stand, a transverse shaft flxedly mounted between the legs of said yoke member, the ends of said shaft extending through the legs of said yoke member and resting in the slotted openings in the sides of said roll stand, an upper pinch roll rotatably mounted on said fixed shaft immediatelly above said driven pinch roll, spring means connecting spaced from the exit end of said roll stand, strip guide means mounted on said platform between the roll stand and the shear member for guiding strip from the exit end of said roll stand to the jaws of said shear member, a vertical fluid pressure cylinder having a piston rod projecting therefrom mounted adjacent said platform below the rear end of said movable shear jaw, said movable shear jaw being pivotally connected to said piston rod, a vertical supporting post spaced from said platform, a longitudinal open-end catcher box extending from said platform to said vertical supporting post, said catcher box including a stationary angle member, a, movable angle member connected by hinges to said stationary angle member, a lever attached to the side of said movable angle member whereby said movable angle member may be swung open to empty the contents of said catcher box, and a counterweight attached to said lever adapted to hold the movable angle member in closed position, a vertical lever arm pivotally connected to the upper portion of said vertical supporting post, the lower portion of said lever arm spanning the open end of said catcher box, a longitudinal slide rod in said catcher box suspended from the top thereof, a vertical stop member slidingly mounted on said slide rod. an adjustable connecting rod attached to said stop member at its one end and to the lower portion of said lever arm at its other end, compression spring means mounted on the upper portion of said vertical supporting post, said last named spring means being pivotally connected to said lever arm for urging the upper end thereof toward the supporting post, a header member having a fluid pressure supply line attached thereto mounted on said vertical supporting post, a fluid pressure line extending from said header to a port in the lower end of said vertical cylinder, a valve in said line, a fluid pressure line extending from said header to a T connection, a valve in said line, said valves beingoperably connected to said lever arm, a fluid pressure line extending from one branch of said T connection to said air motor, and a fluid pressure line extending from the other branch of said T connection to a port in the upper end of said vertical cylinder, said lever arm being rocked on its pivot by said connecting rod when the stop member is struck by the end of the strip material entering the catcher box, the movement of said lever arm operating said valves to thereby alternately actuate said motor and the upper jaw of said shear member.

ALEXANDER. J. BO'I'IOS.

No references cited. 

